Filing register



C. W. POTTER FILING REGISTER July 11, 1933.

Filed April 8, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l Even/07 U W w, P w

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C. W. POTTER FILING REGISTER July 11, 1933.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1929 ,"Zii (,LM) W. ,6. 2

c. w. POTTER 1,918,194

FILING REGISTER Filed April 8, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i July 11, 1933.

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a E o I n 6 M 1 i Mi 7 2 0 Q a M m 1 7% a a 1 8 h 7 a 0 0 a Patented duty 11, 1 5 33 UNETE CHAR-LES W. POTTER,

SATES OF WALTHAM,

ATN'T SACHUSFZITS,

ASSIGNOR TO ATLANTIC SETTS FILING REGISTER Application filed April 8,

This invention relates to a filing register adapted for holding accounts, sales slips or other commercial papers in a' systematic arrangement for affording quick and easy access thereto and relates more particularly to that type of filing register comprising a series of leaves hinged together and each provided with one or more spaces or pockets.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a filing register of the character described which is simple construction and operation having few parts and affording ready and convenient access to its contents.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a structure in which the filing leaves, hinged together, in a series, may he treated as a unit and when not in use stored in a safe or other suitable depository or, when bein used, may be easily connected to suitable supports in a frame for permi ting easy manipulation for inspection and filing of records.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a register in which the leaves may be turned over with little or no effort and in which the exposed faces of the leaves are always at the same level irrespective of the position of the exposed leaves in the series thereby facilitating and making more convenient the inspecting and filing of records.

A further object is the provision of a structure which permits expansion of the register by the addition of leaves whenever required.

An additional object is the provision of a leaf built up to any desired size from a plurality of tiling units which may be stamped out of sheet-metal and easily assembled Within a band or frame. I

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described hereinafter.

My invention contemplates afiling register comprising a plurality of filing leaves hinged together on one side in a series and a suitable frame carrying two supports mounted for movement in synchronism along intersecting paths but in opposite directions in relatiou to the point of intersection of 1929. Serial No. 353,32

said paths. When use the two end leaves of said series are detachably secured one to each of said supports which breaks the series of filing leaves into two hingedly connected tiers with one face of the top ieaf of each tier exposed to View. The turning: of the vleaf from one tier to the other exposes the other face of the leaf turned and at the same time causes the tier from which the leaf is tur to move a corresponding istance toward the point 01 intersection of the paths of movement and the other tier to move the same di tance away from said point. The result is that the exposed faces of the top leaves of the two tiers-are'always atthe same level. 7

When the register not in use or at the close of business each day the series of filing leaves may be disconnected from the two supports and folded together int-o a single stack and placed in a safe or other suitable depository. 1

Referring to the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, F i ure 1 is view in perspective of a filing register constructed and adapted to be operated in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of thosame showing all of the leaces, with the exception of ;one end leaf, on one side of the frame; Fig. 3 is a similar View showing all tlie;leaves, .with the exception of the other'end-leaf, on the other side of the frame; 4 is aview in perspective of portionsof a plurality of units combined to form a leaf; Fig. 5 is a sectional. view on line 55 in Figure.- 3, lookinglupwardly of the means for lockin 'an end leaf-into one of the leafsupports with the locking means shown insolid lines in locked positionand in broken lines in'unlocked position; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View on line 6+6 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a (transverse sectiona view on line 77 in Fig. 5.

Referring to the illustrated embodiment of the invention. there is shown a plurality of leaves 10 hinged together on one side, to form a series, by hinges 12; Each leaf is hinged to the trio adjacent leaves one on each with the exception of the two end leaves which are each hinged to one leaf.

' rection and then reversed so as to interlock with similarly formed flanges on reversed adjacent units to permit the building up of a leaf from a number of units. Preferably the two end flanges on each unit are turned in opposite directions for centering the plates in the band 16 but this is not absolutely necessary and if desired they may both be turned in the same direction. The units are held within the enclosing band in any suitable manner such, for instance, as by spot welding at points 22 and the two ends of the band 16 may be lapped and secured together by rivets 2d. The band is of sufficient width to afford filing spaces or pockets on each face of the leaf corresponding in number to the number of units making up the leaf and in each pocket is pivota ly mounted a clip 26 of any suitable form held by a spring 28 against the body of the unit for holding in place the papers filed thereunder, (Fig. 1).

For hinging the leaves together in a series, each leaf is provided on its rear side with a pair of straps 30, each strap having at each end a pair of lateral extensions 82 which are bent about the band 16 to hold the strap thereon (Figs. 1 and 6). The straps on the intermediate leaves are provided on each side with two separated hinged knuckles'arranged off-center with respect to the longitudinal axis of the strap so that straps. on adjacent leaves may be reversed to secure a staggered arrangement and thereby permit-a closer formation of the leaves in the stack. The straps on the two end leaves have knuckles on only one side and when the knuckles on adjacentstraps are interlocked and pins ar inserted the stack of leaves is then hinged together in a series. 6 i 7 Upon the front edge of'each leaf 10 may be mounted a small plate 34: held thereon by having its ends turned about the edges of the bands 16 which plates may be suitably marked either with a letter or with a numher to indicate the contents of the leaf and the plates-on adjacent leaves'are staggered to avoid undue separation of the leaves. Each leaf is shown as provided with two such plates, one adjacent each end which is a preferable number because it prevents the leaves being stacked closer together at one end than the other.

For supporting the stack of filing leaves in operative position for filing records therein and for the examination of its contents, I provide a frame for carrying two supports mounted for movement in synchronism along intersecting paths but in opposite dire-:tions, said supports being adapted to support said stack of filing leaves in two tiers hingedly connected. One form of frame is shown comprising a pair of end frames connected together in fixed separated relation, each end frame resembling the letter A and having two converging legs or standards 36 and 37 connected together near their tops by cross-webs 38 and 39. The two end frames are connected together in separated relation by a rod 40 each end of which is locked in a. cross-web 39 between bolts 41 and 42 threaded on the end of the rod and on opposite sides of the web and by a foot piece 44 fastened by screws 45 to the bottom of the two standards 06.

The legs or standards 36 and 37 are formed with interior longitudinal passage; or run-ways 48 in each of which is slidably mounted a rack-bar 50 and between the two rack-bars in each end frame and meshing therewith is arranged a gear 52 keyed to a shaft 54 rotatably mounted in the two crosswebs 38 and the two rack-bars in each end frame are so arranged in relation to said intermediate gear and to each other that when one is in a lowermost position the other is uppermost (Fig.

The two rack-bars in the two legs 36 constitute a pair for carrying between them a leaf support 56 and the two rack-bars in i the other two legs 37 as a pair carry a similar leaf support 58. Each leaf support 56 and 58 has its two ends 60 and 61 respectively of triangular form turned downwardly at right angles and connected to the lower ends of its respective supporting pair of said raclcbars by pins 62. In addition, the two ends 60 of the support 56 are fastened to the rack-bars adjacent the top ends thereof by bolts 64 so that the leaf support 56 is fixed on its pair of rack-bars. The support 58, however, is attached to its respective rack-bars by the pins 62 alone and in consequence, the support is capable of pivotal movement around said pins 62 as centers.

To hold the support 58 upwardly, however, there is mounted on each end of the support a helical spring 66 connected at one end to a pin 68 set in the end 61 of the support and at the other end to a. pin '70 set in the upper portion of the rackbar. The two springs 66 tend to draw the support toward the center of the frame but permit it to be moved pivotally in an outward direction when required in the operation of the filing register.

The stack of filing leaves 10 is mounted upon the two supports in two tiers hingedly connected, the two end leaves of the stack being fastened to the two leaf supports. Any suitable means may be provided for fastening the end leaves to the supports but preferably means are provided which permit the end leaves to be detached from said supports when desired in order that the stack may be handled as a unit and placed in a safe or other depository when desired. One form of detachable fastening means is shown in the drawings, particularly Figures 5 and 7, comprising a pair of locking levers 72 mounted on the lower face of each leaf support, the inner ends of said levers being pivotally connected to a link 71'- which in turn is pivotally mounted upon a pin 76 centrally located in the leaf support and thereby holds up the inner ends of the levers. Adjacent its locking end each lever 7 2 is held in position against the bottom face of the leaf support by a screw stud 80 set in the leaf support and nut 81 and the lever is provided with a longitudinal slot 82 which permits longitudinal movement of said lever on said stud. The outer end 84 of each lever is turned upwardly through an opening 86 in the support and then outwardly to engage a slot 88 in the end of the end filing leaf for fastening said leaf to said support. For operating said locking levers, an arm or lever 90 may be formed integral with said link 74 for turning the link on its pivot to throw said levers longitudinally into or out of locking position. In Fig. 5, the levers are shown in full lines in locking position and in broken lines in unlocked position.

For turning the leaves from one tier to the other or vice versa a crank arm 92 may be fixed on one end of the shaft 54 and a screw stop 94 may be set in the gear 52 for engaging the cross web 38 to limit the longitudinal movement of the rack-bars 50.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the front legs 36 of the frame are vertical and the rear legs 37 inclined toward the front so that the front tier of filing leaves is movable vertically and the rear tier in an inclined path. The filing leaves on the rear tier are, therefore, turned toward the operator standing in front of the register which facilitates the filing, removal or reading of records on the top face of the top leaf of the rear tier.

The operation of a register constructed in accordance with my invention is extremely simple. Assuming the register to be as shown in Figures 2 or 3 ready for use the filing leaves may be turned over from one tier to the other or vice versa by turning the crank arm 92, and the gears 52 in the direction indicated by the arrow on the gear. If the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the front pair of rack-bars carrying the leaf support 56 will be moved downwardly and the rear pair of rack-bars and leaf support 58 will be moved upwardly which causes the leaves on the rear tier to be turned over in succession upon the front tier so long as the crank arm is turned or until all the filing leaves with the exception of the end leaf which is locked to the support 58 have been turned to the front tier when the parts are as shown in Fig. 2. The filing leaves may also be turned by hand, if preferred, and in such case a number of leaves may be turned at the same time in which event the rear leaf support is thrown outwardly somewhat further from the center of the register than when the leaves are turned one at a time.

The rapidity with which leaves may be turned from one tier to the other permits filing or examination of the filed contents of the register to be accomplished with celerity and without any appreciable time being wasted by the laborious turning of leaves slowly one at a time. This is of special advantage if the register is being referred to at frequent intervals.

To remove the stack of filing leaves with their records from the frame for storage in some safe place at the close of business is an operation requiring little time and effort. By throwing laterally the lever 90 on each leaf support, the two end leaves are unlocked and the two tiers may then be folded together into a stack, removed from the frame and placed wherever desired. The stack may with equal expedition be remounted on the frame, broken into two tiers and the end leaves locked to the two supports by merely pushing the levers 90 back into locking position.

In filing records, the papers are merely placed under the clips in the proper filing spaces or pockets and. are held therein by the clips.

A filing register constructed in accordance with my invention has many advantages. It is simple and compact in construction and can be made at a low cost and yet is very durable. It is easy to manipulate affording quick access to records filed therein and can be adapted to all kinds of records. It especially suitable for filing valuable records which require to be stored in a safe outside of business hours. It may be made in various: forms and of various capacities to suit different needs. The leaves of the re ster may be built up of various sized units to accommodate records of different sizes and additional leaves may be added as required or may be removed with little or no effort.

Various forms of frames and various forms of leaves may be employed and the two tiers of filing leaves may be arranged to move in intersecting paths of greater or less divergence than that herein illustrated.

I am not herein claiming the invention of r fastenin the filing leaf built up of a plurality of filing units as that is the subject of a rate divisional a Jplication for United Sir Letters Patent filed ov I 1932, Serial No, 61" registers.

It is to be understood that my 'ln'i-L is not to be limited to ti herein shown and de the following claims, lVhat I claim i 1. A filing register ouniprising pair of supports nim'ahie opposite directi ns in s i of filing leaves hingc in a series, the two e 1: of sa d is one to i being detachably can pf said supports and means for imparting said movement to said supports.

2. A filing register com 'ising a frame, a pair of leaf supports nu Ill coil in said frame for synchronous movemerinop site divergent dirertiom and a i ah f; filing leaves hinged together on o a series, the two end leaves of ing detachably fastened one 1 leaf supports to break I connected 1 rs and means or naval 1 supports to turn said from one to the other.

3. A filing re ister comprising: a leaf supports and ineniding a pair bars and an intermediate gear in moving said supports in opposite dn 1 in synchronism, a plurality of filir hinged together on one side in a series, the two end leaves of said sr l i l ably fastened one to each of sai break said series into two conneo 4. A filing register comp" leaf supports mounted fr nous moven'ient in relzn intersection of their paths; o6 plurality of filing leaves hinged 10;" one side in a series, each of the o: of said series being provided with x and means for eng i tachably fastening the {W0 ein series on to each of said l breal said series into two t} r:

5. A filing register com leaf supports mounted for oppo ment in interseetir; a plurality of lili I on one side in a seri :1, being provided with enfor engaging said end turned from one ing the records tiled on son,

6. A filing register comprisr leaf supports mounted for synchronous movement in opposite directions in intersecting paths, a plurality of filing leaves, each of which is provided with means for holding papers to be filed, said leaves being hinged together on one de in a series, and lever operated means for detachably fastening the two end leaves one to each of said leaf supports for breaking said series into two tiers, said leaves being adapted to be manually turner, from one tier to the other to expose their contents.

*1". A filing register comprising a pair of supports mounted for movement in interse ting paths, a plurality oi filing leaves 2d together in a series, the two end leaves beii detachably fastened one to each i 'i :1 supports to break said series into ed tiers and gear means for movf 'iir supports in synchronism in opposite ctions relative to the point of intersec- Ir paths of movements to turn 51g register comprising a pair of mounted for movement in inters, one of supports bf also for pivotal movement, a plurality yes hinged together on one side s lies, the two end leaves being deably connected one to each of said two ports for supporting said leaves in two d means whenever a leaf turned a 3 tier to the other for moving said in opposite directions in relation '1 point of intersection to maintain the id tiers it the same level.

til ng regis A V I k Ler comprising a pair of supports, rack and gear means ior moving said supports in intersecting paths in syncoronism l t in opposite directions, a plu ranty of inp leaves hinged together on one side in a and carried by said suports in two tiers hinged together and a a of locking levers mounted on each su for locking thereto one end leaf of said pair of supports, a plurality of filin 7 leaves Ll to ether in series and supp-3 ted by 1d su norts in two hinged together,

10. A filing reg stor comprising a frame,

tiers end leaves of said series being fasto each of said supports, a pair 1. as, one on each of said supports, admin r meshing with both said and mean for turning sail iid rack-bars and said supp in rag-lions to turn said leaves from to the other.

filing register havin iJ-i eomhinao pairs ram-bars mountie lor longitudinal movement, I gports, each carri :i av one i rs of rack-bars. plurality of lLilVtiS hinged together in series and carried by said supports in two tiers hingedly connected and means for movin; said pairs of raclobars in synchronism hut in opposite directions to turn said fil' k leaves from one tier to the other or ViifO re 12. A filing having, in C' KlJiIIZI- tion, a frame having two pairs of one in fro and one in the rear.

hinged toggothti t. and support: in not ed, and moans for of rackoars in svnchronlsm but in opposite 1 i tions to tiirn said filing lcares from o e to the other or vice versa.

l3. An account register compr end frame connected rethcr i 7 "ion, pair of on eways in I anic, said guide v:

at taeir upper a mounted in each said ill,

of ioaf rupports, each or sai: being pivotally mounted on and of sa d rack-bars one in ca, conncrtioizs betwr i pair so arranged tn rack-bar ports to lnr-al: said 14. A filing; leaf snppo ports in intersec paths b r, (lll'lFtlOlif-f in synohronism, phi tiling leaves hinge-i together on a series and a pair of locking lov. on each snppor f locking thereto one end L 101" leaf of said series.

A filing register compris ini a J supports, rack tlUl gear means for r 1,; said supports in int octing: path in gochro ism but in opposite diM-c'tiors, a plurality of filing leaves hinged together one side in a series and mounted o said sunbut in opposite directions. a support i hs ed on each of said members, one of said supports being fixed to its lPt-.. Q 3t1\'9 inr rhv' and the other of said otail mounted on its nieinloer, 1, holding sait pivotally n'iountrd ,nppoit in operative position on its intmbr, a p rality of filing leaves hinged together on support being pivi iisaid mbe' and the other of said supports bet pivotally mounted on its member, a 'ing for holding said pivotally mounted support in operative position on its member, a plurality of filing leaves hinged together on one side in a series and mounted on said supports in two tiers hinged together and means for locking each end leaf to one of said supports; said means comprising a pair locking levers mounted on each support it i for operating said locking! levers. 18. A tiling: register comprising a pair of a pluraiity of iiiing leaves hinged on one side in a series, the two end d series being" fastened one to said supports to break said series tiers, and means for moving said r-alipports in opposite directions to turn leaves from one tier to the other.

if A filing register comprising a pair of supports, a plurality of filing, leaves hinged together .11 on side ii: a so. s, the two end ieavijs o aid series being fastened one to each of said supports to break said series into two tiers, and means for moving said suoporr: opp to directions in intersectpaths to turn leaves from one tier to the other.

A. filing); register comprising a pair of leaf supports moun ed for nchronons movement in opposite directic 1n intersecting paths, a pluralit tiling leaves hinged her on one sid in a series, the two end caves of said series being detachably fastened one to each of said leaf supports to 1:? l: said series into two connected tiers and crank operated means for moving said support-s to tnrn said leaves from one tier to the other.

21. A filing rep'ister comprising a frame, a pair of rack bars mounted on said frame for longitudina movement, a gear intermediate said rack bars for moving them in opposits directions, a leaf support fixedly 'nounted on one of rack bars, another leaf support p'rotally mounted on the other of said rack bars and a plurality of filing leaves fastened together on one side in a ri-cs, the two end leaves being detachably fastened one to each of said two supports to b eak said series into two tiers.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this fourth day of April, 1929.

CHARLES W. POTTER. 

